Chemical feeder



Nov. 7, 195o E, w, LANDON 2,529,028

v CHEMICAL FEEDER Filed July 51, 194'? 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mnllil f 9 22 4 Fig.

Inventor E vere# n. L andon By aaa/#wy .3mm

E. W. LANDON CHEMICAL FEEDER Nov. 7, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1947 Y Fig. 2.

Nov. 7, 1950 Filed July 3l., 194'? E. w. LANDON 2,529,1)28 CHEMICAL FEEDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E vere/f nl. Landon WWW MZLW Patented Nov. 7, i950 UNITED l, STATES rlxrlszrir forlflclazfy ACHEIWICAL FEEDER Everett W. Landon,vSan Mateo, Calif., assignor to Landon Standard Pools, Belmont, Calif., al

..7 I Y l I This invention relates to a chemical feeder, or device for feeding intermittently, a supply or quantity of chemical liquid to water, for the treatment thereof, for swimming pools, tanks or drinking water or other water supply.

*The object of this invention is to provide a chemicalfeeder which is automatic in its operation',"but whichwhen not -under water pressure, closes off the supply of chemical to the water, especially in a pipe 'under pressure including suction pressure, but which when subjected to pressure of water-in the line, will cause the escape or discharge of the chemical for supplying the same to the water in the supply or feed line to the swimming pool, tank, for drinking pur` poses or otherwise.

Another object of the invention, is to provide a'novel and simple chemical feeder, including a novel circuit arrangement', andV in' which the parts of the feeder are resistant to the action of the chemical such as chlorine or other chemical or liquid which is supplied tothe water for the purpose' of lchlor'inating ortreating the same to kill the growth of algae, bacteria, fungi, etc. in the treatedwater. A

vA still further object of the invention, is to provide a chemical feeder lby which the supply of" the chemical isf' automatically cut off when the pressure in then line is reduced orV cut off.

*Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully: hereinafter Vdescribed and claimed, reference being had 'tof'the accompanying drawings formingIpart hereof, wherein like numerals refer to.lik`e parts ithroughout, and in which-J fefFigurefl Ais a-sectional elevation `showing aY chemical feeder constructed in accordance with the inventionfthe supply of chemical to be fed td-thewater being cut off by llack of pressure in thesupply'line for the water; 1 I e -Fgure 2 is a view similar to Figure l with the parts openfor supplying the chemical to the Waterjand; e e

`:Figure isv lanel'evation of the 'feeder in its entirety. 1 This chemical feederis connected to' a chemical-supply tank, a fwater line" under pressure and lines carrying .thel-liquid chemical lto beA used -in lthe treatment,v The liquid'chemicalis putinto `the ilows'lines of the body to be treated I' iIr afzcontrolled manner by the pressure exerted by a Water supply and by gravity. The control is corporation of California closing of automatically Application July 31 1947, serial No. 765,174".

V2 c1aims.1 (Cl. 21o- 40) controlled valves` of'. Aa water line under pressure. rIhe feeder is'shown, a's connected witha pump, the cycle of start and stop operation ofthe lfeeder .being controlled by the stop and start' of the pump. However, it is to be'understood that the feeder is not 'limited tov usefwith a pump, but may be used in conjunction with solenoid valves, Water operated valves, or other means of'control equipment.

VReferring to the drawings'vin detail, in .which like-:reference characters designate V'corresponding parts throughout the several views, I'0 designatesv a water pump discharge line for water un^` der pressure connected to a pumpv I I, which creates pressure inthe pipe I0 and suction inthe pipe I2 through which a connection is made to the water supply pipe I2 by'a pipe line I3. A connection I4 from the pipel leads'to the top of a diaphragm block or chamber I5, preferably constructed in two' sectionsv as shown,v which is resistant to chlorine or other chemical with which the Water is treated, preferably inliquid form; The pipe I4 leads to a circular primary chamber I6 of lenticular cross section, in which a flexible diaphragmv I'I is mounted and of chlorine or other chemical liquid resistant lmaterial so as to divide the chamber I6 into two compartments with water at the top and the chemical at the bottom for treatmentof the Water, and sotha't the liquid chemical and water cannotmix.z The chemical supply tank is indicated at I8 andhas a "discharge ,pipe' I9 which leads into the bottom of the ychamber I 6 below the diaphragm I1, prefi erably'through one end of the block or chamber 3 I5 as indicated at 20 and has connection with an angular passage 2| extending from the end'of'the blockv I5 I and the lower section thereofilongitudinal-ly and then vertically into the lower portion of the chamber I6.r

y A discharge passage22 leads from the bottom of the chamber I6 below the diaphragm I'I Eand has a pipe 23 connected to the block I5 at the Ypassage 22, and lleads into a'larger liquid chemical ytransfer chamber 24 centrally at a passage' l asaaoee purpose and supported at a suitable elevation, in which a diaphragm 30 of exible chemical resistant material is also mounted corresponding to the flexible diaphragm 21. These diaphragms form valves and a connection 3| made from the pipe 23 to a passage 32 communicates with the bottom of the chamber 29 below the diaphragm 30. A passage 33 is provided centrally in the chamber 29 above the diaphragm 30 and is connected as indicated by the pipe 34 with the bottom outlet 35 of a tube or column 36 containing a column of liquid which is not sufficient to keep. the outlet passage 32 closed when the water pressure is on the line I4. However, when the water pressure is on the line, the liquid in the tube or column 36 exerts a pressure but insumcient to close the outlet 32. Normallyhowever,l the liquid in the tube or column 36 is suicient to close the outlet passage 32 by means of the diaphragm 30 to the outlet 32 from the lower part of the chamber 29 against the gravity pressure exerted inthe lines 3| and 32 from the liquid and the chemical tank supply I8 through the line I9; A discharge passage 31: ofv right angular formation corresponding to the passage 2|* leads from the chamber 29 below the dif aphragm 3U near one edge thereof, and communicates with the discharge pipe- I3 leading to the supply pipe or water line I2 to the pump I I con-` nected with a suitable source of supplyV of water.

Thus, i n the operation of the chemical feeder, when the pump is closedv down or the pressure shut oi on the line I4 as well as the line I9, in any suitable way, as by solenoid or any type valve, there. is noV pressure in the lines I and I4', that is, sucient pressure to. convey the water such as when the line is open by the openingof av faucet or valve to supply a tank or otherwise, thus reducing the pressure in the lines I4y andi 28vr to the chamber24 below the diaphragm 21A there-A in and also to the chamber` I6. above the. diaphragm I1. The chamber lliY forms a valve chamber and the lack ofpressure on top of the. diaphragm I1 in the chamber`l6 of the control block I5 is notl suicient to seat the diaphragm |6 against the valve seat formed at the communicating end of the passage 22. Thus, the chemical supply from the tank I8 can pass through th'epipe I9 into the lower part of the chamber I6 below the diaphragm I.1 and escape through the passage V22 and pipe 23 to the. top ofV the chamber 24. above the diaphragm 21 andi also through theY pipe 3| to the bottom of they chamber 29 below the diaphragm 30. therein. However, the column of water in the tube 36 is sufficient toseat the diaphragm 30 as a valve against the passage 32 where it communicates with the chamber 29` to cut off the lower portion of the chamber 29 from the inlet of the chemical thereto. In this manner, the chemical liquid in the supply tank runs by gravity through the pipe I9 and into the chamber I6 below the diaphragm I1 to unseat the latter by raising the diaphragm owing to its iiexible; character, the outlet 22 and allows the chemical from the supply tankto flowthrough the line 22 into the chemical chamber 24. As there is no water pressure in the pipe line I4, there is consequently no,

pressure in thev pipe 28 or the bottom ofthe chamber 24 below the diaphragm 21 until the di'- aphragm 21 is forced against the vbottomoi the chamber 24 to allow the chamber 24 to com? pletely iill with the liquid chemical. When the chamber 24is completelv'iilled. the liquid chemicaltlows into the line 23` and the line 3| to the bottom of the valve chamber 29 beneath the dlaphragm 3i). Owing to the weight and pressure exerted on the top of kthe diaphragm 30 in the chamber 29 by the weight of a variable height of liquid connected to the top side of the chamber 29 in the tube 36 at 34, which force is greater than the f orce exerted by the pressure on the bottom of the diaphragm 30 by the pressure from the. line 3|, the diaphragm closes over the outlet 32 and the line 3| and stops the flow of liquid from the supply tank. The chamber 24 being now iully charged with the liquid chemical to be used in `treating; the body of water or other body to be treated, the whole system remains in this condition until pressure is applied in the water line at the pipe I0 and through the line I4 to the bottom of thev chamber 24 and the top of the chamber I6. When the water pressure is put into the lines I0 and I4, by starting the pump or by opening of the automatic or other valve on theV pressure lines I D and I4, this pressure ows through the line 28 to the bottom of the chamber 24 and exerts pressure on the bottom of the diaphragm 21 in the chemical chamber 24 to force the exible diaphragm 21' upwardly to the top side of the chamber and forces the liquid chemical from the chamber into the lines 23 and 3| to the outlet 32 and into the chamber 29. The liquid chemical from the tank I8 which has been supplied to the chemical chamber 24, is therefore forced out of the latterr chamber into the chamber 29 below the diaphragm 30 against the rcolumn of liquid in the tube 36 by raising the diaphragm 30 against the pressure head exerted by said liquid column on the top side of the diaphragm 3|] thereby pushing the diaphragm upward of the outletl 32 and allowing the liquid chemical to enter throughV the chamber 29 to.- the outlet 31 and pipe I3 which ows into the line I2 and through the pump II into the line ID intov the body to be treated. When all chemical is removed from the chamber 24, it remains; in this way until the pressure is removed from the line I4 at the line I'Il, when the chamber '24- again lls with the chemical from the supply tank I8 as heretofore described, so as to repeat the operation in the same manner as set forth.

Thus, it will be seen that the operation of the chemical feeder of the present invention .is en-v tirely automatic, with but arsimple Ystructure free of moving partsv and values, except forl the diaphragms forming the valves inthe various chambers into which'the water under pressure and the chemical is supplied, so as to be lled therewith and expelled therefrom for intermittent automatic supply to the. water or the body tobe treated in the pipe lines, in the manner described. The valve box I5 and 26 being constructed of material resistant to the chemicah as welll as'the exible diaphragms, the device will operate indenitely to automatically supply a given,V desired or proper quantity of .chemical liquid to the water or body to be treated, and therefore `may be economically produced and operated at a minimum of expense.

In view of'the foregoingdescription taken ln conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believedrthat a clearv understanding of theconstruction, operation and advantages of the` device will be quite apparent to those skilled .in

this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

Itis to be understood, however, that even` though there is herein shown and described a' preferredv embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with a Water supply conduit, a chemical feeder comprising a primary valve chamber having a transverse diaphragm valve therein, a secondary valve chamber having a transverse diaphragm valve therein, a chemical transfer chamber and a transverse diaphragm therein, a liquid chemical supply tank connected to the bottom of the primary valve chamber, a connection between the top of said transfer chamber and said primary and secondary chambers below the respective diaphragm valves thereof, an intermittently actuated pump in said l Water supply conduit, said conduit at the outlet side of said pump being connected to the bottom of said transfer chamber and to the top of the primary chamber whereby in the absence of water pressure in said conduit chemical may flow through the valve of the primary Ichamber into thetop of the transfer chamber, pressure responsive means for closing the valve of the secondary chamber in the absence oi" water pressure to prevent chemical passing through the valve of the primary chamber from entering the secondary chamber, and a connection between the secondary chamber and said conduit at the inlet side 6 of said pump, whereby water pressure inthe conduit may close the valve in the primary chamber and discharge chemical from the transfer chamber through the valve of the secondary chamber and through the last mentioned connection into saidV conduit.

2. The device as dened in claim 1 wherein said pressure responsive means comprise a cole umn of liquid connected to the top of the secondary valve chamber and exerting on the valve therein a pressure lesser than the Water pres sure in said conduit at the outlet side of said pump.

EVERETT W. LANDON.l

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 417,034 Hyatt Dec. 10, 1889 417,046 Kendrick Dec. 10, 1889 434,392 Hyatt Aug. 12, 1890 549,479 Hall Nov. 5, 1895 637,250 Hall Nov. 21, 1899 1,412,473 Lame Apr. 11, 1922 2,238,747 Ornstein Apr. 15, 1941 2,417,372 Morris Mar. 11, 1947 

